A deputy shot and killed an unarmed man while attempting to serve a narcotics search warrant in Deltona, according to the Volusia County Sheriff’s Office.

A deputy shot and killed an unarmed man while attempting to serve a narcotics search warrant in Deltona, according to the Volusia County Sheriff’s Office.

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Updated: 5:04 PM EST Mar 4, 2015

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WEBVTT ORANGE COUNTY, I'M BOB KEALING, WESH 2 NEWS. RIGHT NOW THE FDLE INVESTIGATING A DEADLY DEPUTY-INVOLVED SHOOTING IN VOLUSIA COUNTY. A S.W.A.T. TEAM DEPUTY SHOT A MAN IN THE FACE WHILE SERVING A SEARCH WARRANT. IT HAPPENED ON MAY BROOK DRIVE IN DELTONA. THE SUSPECT WAS ONE OF SIX ADULTS IN THE HOME WHEN S.W.A.T. ARRIVED ARMED WITH A NARCOTICS SEARCH WARRANT. WESH 2'S CLAIRE METZ JOINS US LIVE FROM THE SCENE RIGHT NOW. CLAIRE? AND THE SUSPECT DIED AT THE HOSPITAL. NOW IDENTIFIED TO US AS 26-YEAR-OLD DERRICK CRUZ. INVESTIGATORS TELL US THAT HE ADVANCED ON THE DEPUTIES AS DEPUTIES WERE SERVING A SEARCH WARRANT ON THAT HOUSE. BUT OTHERS INSIDE SAY HE WAS SHOT FOR NO REASON. THE SUSPECT'S MOTHER ARRIVED AT THE SCENE JUST BEFORE NOON WHERE SHE WAS TOLD HER SON DID NOT SURVIVE A GUNSHOT WOUND TO THE FACE. UPSET AND GRIEVING, SHE QUICKLY LEFT. BUT OTHERS IN THE HOUSE WITH HER SON INSIST HE DID NOTHING TO JUSTIFY BEING GUNNED DOWN NEAR THE DOORWAY. THERE'S NO ADVANCEMENT. THERE WAS NO REACHING FOR ANYTHING. THE GUY WAS WEARING BASKETBALL SHORTS LIKE I AM. THESE ARE SEVERAL OF THE FOUR MEN AND TWO WOMEN IN THE HOUSE WHEN S.W.A.T. ARRIVED. THEY DIDN'T WANT TO GIVE THEIR NAMES BUT SAY THEIR FRIEND WAS NOT ARMED, DIDN'T CHARGE THE DEPUTY, OR CHALLENGE HIM WITH A WEAPON. THEY ENTERED THE HOUSE AND FIRED. IMMEDIATELY. HE DIDN'T HAVE A WEAPON ON HIM? NO SIR. THERE IS NO WEAPONS IN THE HOUSE. THEY CAME IN WITH A CERTAIN INTENT AND PURPOSE AND THEY MET THEIR GOAL. THEY WERE MET WITH RESISTANCE AND A SHOOTING INCURRED. SHERIFF BEN JOHNSON WON'T YET DETAIL WHAT THE THREAT TO THE DEPUTY IDENTIFIED AS TEN-YEAR VETERAN TODD RAIBLE WAS. BUT IT WILL BE UP TO FDLE TO DETERMINE IF HIS USE OF FORCE RESPONSE WAS JUSTIFIED. DEPUTIES AND S.W.A.T. HAD A SEARCH WARRANT AS PART OF AN ON-GOING NARCOTICS INVESTIGATION AT THE HOUSE. OFFICIALS SAY THE SUSPECT SHOT AND KILLED WAS NAMED IN THE WARRANT. BUT WHAT KIND OF DRUG ACTIVITY WAS ALLEDGEDLY GOING ON HERE WE STILL DON'T KNOW. AND NEIGHBORS ARE IN THE DARK. THEY OFTEN SAW THE HOUSE RESIDENTS OUTSIDE BUT NOT WITH DRUGS. THEY WOULD BE OUT IN THE EVENING PLAYING GLADIATOR GAMES WITH A BIG SHIELD AND A FAKE SWORD. JUST THE LAST COUPLE MINUTES NOW OTHERS HAVE COME BY THE SCENE AND LAID FLOWERS IN MEMORY OF THE MAN WHO WAS SHOT AND KILLED BY A SHERIFF DEPUTY. THAT DEPUTY AS IS TYPICAL IN THESE SITUATIONS ON ADMINISTRATIVE LEAVE. FDLE IS INVESTIGATING. ACCORDING TO COURT RECORDS CRUZ HAS HAD MINOR SKIRMISHS WITH THE LAW. HE DID SERVE SIX MONTHS PROBATION FOR MISDEMEANOR

Unarmed man shot in face by Volusia County deputy dies

A deputy shot and killed an unarmed man while attempting to serve a narcotics search warrant in Deltona, according to the Volusia County Sheriff’s Office.